Osteospermum plant named ‘Seipepan’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Seipepan’, characterized by its compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and light orange-colored ray florets with dark violet towards the base and dark purple-tipped disc florets.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related application entitled Osteospermum Plant Named ‘Sekiin47’; Jorn Hansson, applicant.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Seipepan.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Seipepan’.

The new Osteospermum was discovered as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Seikilrem, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,407.

The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor in March, 2001, as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal vegetative cuttings was first conducted in Sondersoe, Denmark in June, 2001. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Seipepan has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Seipepan’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Seipepan’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light orange-colored ray florets with dark violet towards the         base and dark purple-tipped disc florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the parent, the cultivar Seikilrem, in ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the cultivar Sekiin47, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/949,948 filed concurrently, in ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Cape Daisy Zulu, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,389. However, plants of the new Osteospermum are more outwardly spreading and more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Cape Daisy Zulu.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Seipepan’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Seipepan’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the winder and under conditions typical of commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants day temperatures ranged from 13 to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10 to 16° C. Plants had been growing for about ten weeks in 15.25-cm containers when the photographs and the description were taken. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Seipepan. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the     Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Seikilrem, disclosed in U.S. Plant     Pat. No. 13,407. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate rooting.—About two weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous container and garden plant.             Compact and mounded plant habit; initially upright and then             outwardly spreading. Freely branching habit, about six             primary lateral branches and about nine secondary lateral             branches. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant width or area of spread.—About 38 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 23 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 2 cm. Aspect: Upright to outward.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 5.2 cm. Width: About 2.6 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate to             spatulate. Apex: Rounded to broadly acute. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire with occasional tiny serrations. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; glandular. Color: Developing and fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 147A. Venation, upper and lower             surfaces: 148B. Petiole: Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous.             Color, upper surface: 147B. Color, lower surface: 147C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Terminal and axillary inflorescences held above             and beyond the foliage on moderately strong peduncles.             Composite inflorescence form, radially symmetrical, with             ligulate-shaped ray florets and disc florets massed at the             center; ray and disc florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences face             upright or outward.         -   Flowering response.—Plants flower continuous and freely from             the spring through the fall.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about seven to ten days on the plant.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering; at one time,             about six to seven open inflorescences and inflorescence             buds per lateral stem.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 23A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6 cm. Depth (height):             About 2 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle height:             About 1.2 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.8 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:             Ligulate. Apex: Slightly emarginate. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Orientation: Initially upright then close             to horizontal; recurving slightly with development. Number             of ray florets per inflorescence: About 22 in a single             whorl. Color: When opening, upper surface: 27C. When             opening, lower surface: Ground color, 26A; subtle             longitudinal striping, 195B. Fully opened, upper surface:             27B; towards base, 86A to 86B; main color does not fade with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Ground color, 26A             to 26B; longitudinal stripes, 195D.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed.             Length: About 8 mm. Width: At apex: About 1.5 mm. At base:             About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 114. Color: Immature: 79A. Mature: Apex: 79A.             Mid-section: 145C. Base: 145D.         -   Phyllaries.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Linear. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly coarse. Number             per inflorescence: About 24 in a single whorl. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: 148A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 8.3 cm. Length,             second peduncle: About 2.5 cm. Length, third peduncle: About             7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Terminal peduncles,             erect; secondary and tertiary peduncles, about 45° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent.             Color: 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen number: Five per floret; fused around style.             Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther             color: 79A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 28A.             Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil             number: One per floret. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma             shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: 79A. Style length: About             4 mm. Style color: 83D. Ovary color: 145A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     greenhouse or outdoor conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from 4 to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Seipepan’, as illustrated and described. 